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Optus removes online job ad calling for ‘Anglo Saxon’ staff

Millions of Optus customer details may have been accessed in a cyber attack.

Millions of Optus customer details may have been accessed in a cyber attack. Photo: AAP

Telecommunications giant Optus has launched an internal investigation after a job advertisement calling for white candidates at one of its Sydney stores was posted online.

The ad for a casual retail consultant appeared on employment portal Seek on Thursday afternoon, and said people “who are Anglo Saxon” would be preferred.

The company has since removed the ad, which was calling for workers at its Neutral Bay store.

ABC News contacted Optus after the ad was circulated on Twitter.

Optus vice-president of human resources Vaughan Paul said the company had started an internal investigation into how the ad was placed.

He said those involved faced disciplinary action.

“This incident is unacceptable and does not reflect Optus’ values of diversity and inclusion,” Mr Paul said.

“This error [is] a clear breach of our advertising standards and commitment to equal opportunity employment. Optus proudly supports diversity and employs staff representing more than 70 nationalities.”

The Optus ad has since been removed.

Twitter user Catherine Snelson who spotted the ad tweeted at Optus and Seek, the website where it was originally posted, writing: “What were they thinking!”

Another, Edward Miller, tweeted at Optus simply saying: “Well, this is not OK.”

Optus replied to both Twitter users, stating the offending adv had been removed.

Twitter user @MakMayek, a “loyal customer for 14 years”, said he would switch to another network provider.

“I hereby call upon other non-Anglo-Saxon Australians to boycott @Optus immediately,” he tweeted.

Another Twitter user said “we don’t live in the ’40s anymore”.

– ABC

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